What are most people getting wrong when it comes to cold water therapy?
📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email
In this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex is joined by Kevin O’Neill – one of the UK’s leading cold water and breathwork practitioners – to cut through the noise around ice baths, cold showers and breathwork. Kevin explains why most people are doing cold exposure wrong, how stress, trauma and immunity all intersect, and how to use cold water as a tool for resilience rather than burnout. From breathwork safety to ideal temperatures, intention setting and common mistakes, this episode is essential listening for anyone experimenting with the cold.
🎙️ About the guest:
Kevin O’Neill is the founder of Breathevolution and a trauma-informed cold water therapist. He trains practitioners across the UK, works with PTSD, ADHD and anxiety, and is often described as the UK’s answer to Wim Hof – with a far more cautious, therapeutic approach.
✍️ Kevin's modern rituals:
• Cold shower every morning
• Wait an hour until cold water therapy
• ECG before cold water therapy
• Add cold to the end of your warm shower
• Start cold water therapy in the summer
• Wait an hour after coffee for cold water
• Empty stomach before cold water
• Step in on the exhale
• Change your seating in your sauna
• Altitude mask
• Mouth taping before sleep
🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Kevin O'Neill:
Instagram: @breatheolution
TikTok: @breatheolution
Website: https://breatheolution.com/
☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
00:00 – Ice bath or sauna: Which should you choose?
02:30 – What temperature is best for cold water therapy?
05:10 – Why cold water triggers fight-or-flight
07:45 – Response vs reaction: The real goal of cold exposure
10:30 – Do cold showers improve immunity and resilience?
13:50 – Why breath work before ice baths can be dangerous
16:20 – How posture and body language affect cold tolerance
18:55 – Is colder always better? The truth about 5°C plunges
22:10 – Cold exposure, stress stacking and burnout risks
25:45 – Why cold water therapy isn’t for everyone
28:20 – Should you eat or drink coffee before cold exposure?
31:10 – How to breathe properly during cold water immersion
34:00 – Common cold water mistakes most people make
37:30 – Using heat and sauna to train stress resilience
40:20 – Breaking stress habits through discomfort
43:40 – Mouth taping, breathing and nervous system health
47:10 – CO₂ tolerance and the Bolt score explained
51:00 – One habit Kevin is trying to stop
54:00 – The most overrated health advice
55:40 – One daily ritual everyone should add
56:20 – Where to find Kevin and his work
#coldwater #coldwatertherapy #exhalecoffee
At 61, Laird Hamilton is still performing at a level most people never reach – at any age. Here’s how.
📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email
In this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with big-wave surfing pioneer Laird Hamilton to unpack the daily rituals that keep him strong, resilient, and fully alive well into his sixties. From breathwork, heat and cold exposure, and ocean movement, to mindset, recovery, and redefining what “ageing well” really means — this is a masterclass in long-term performance without shortcuts or gimmicks.
🎙️ About the guest:
Laird Hamilton is widely regarded as one of the greatest surfers of all time and a pioneer of tow-in surfing. Beyond the waves, he’s an entrepreneur, father of three, and lifelong advocate for movement, nature-based training, and sustainable high performance.
✍️ Laird's modern rituals:
• 4-6 espresso shots in the morning
• Shilajit and ocean minerals
• Morning shower
• Mineral water and lemon water
• High fat diet
• Protein and fats in coffee
• MCT oil, palm oil
• 6 raw eggs
• Breath work
• Strength training to failure
• Stick to a sleep schedule
• Hyperbaric chamber
• Red bed
• Solargaze every morning
🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Laird Hamilton:
Instagram: @lairdhamilton
TikTok: @thereallaridhamilton
Website: https://lairdhamilton.com/
Laird's wife Gabby Reece's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KWrxXEWEJ5MTsA6tyDGTh
00:00 – Surfing 100-foot waves
02:16 – What “real” big-wave surfing means
04:32 – Quitting alcohol + patience in midlife
06:38 – Beginner mindset: Curiosity over ego
08:44 – How surfers read waves
11:10 – Why routines matter after 60
13:25 – Laird Hamilton’s morning routine
15:47 – High-fat coffee + fasted training
18:16 – Endurance fuel: Fat vs protein
21:29 – Training intuitively after injuries
23:48 – Breathwork, heat + cold for durability
27:33 – Lifestyle training vs rigid routines
31:21 – Strength training for longevity
37:44 – Pool training: Lifting in water
39:59 – Cold exposure: Ice baths vs cold pools
43:13 – Food flexibility + metabolic resilience
45:56 – Sleep rules for recovery
50:22 – Sunlight, solar gazing + health
53:33 – Health hacks for city living
56:24 – Why nature is non-negotiable
1:00:25 – One habit to start tomorrow
1:04:19 – Where to find Laird Hamilton
☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
#lairdhamilton #exhalecoffee #health
Is everything you’ve been told about fertility, pregnancy and “healthy routines” actually helping – or quietly working against you?
📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subcribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email
In this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with Grace Kingswell to cut through the noise around fertility, pregnancy and everyday health habits. From protein-first breakfasts and fasting myths, to caffeine, supplements, light exposure and oral health, Grace shares what actually matters — and what’s wildly overhyped. Expect practical, sometimes uncomfortable truths about food, stress, exercise and modern wellness advice, grounded in real-world experience and current science.
🎙️ About the guest:
Grace Kingswell is a nutritional therapist (BANT, CNHC) with 7 years clinical experience. She supports couples on their fertility journey either trying naturally or with ART (IVF, ICSI) cycles. She specialises in fertility and complex cases (Autoimmunity, Mould etc) as well as early years childhood and starting solids.
✍️ Grace's modern rituals:
• Breakfast with protein, fat, fibre & carbs
• Eggs, veg, ferments, meat, sourdough
• Yogurt with whey protein, seeds & fruit
• 70% beef 30% beef liver mince meat
• Jump up and down x 100
• Morning daylight exposure
• Red lighting
• Oil pulling
• Fluoride free toothpaste
• High quality pre-natal
• Vaginal probiotic
• Oura ring
• Sensate
• Turn your wifi off overnight
🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Grace Kingswell:
Instagram: @gracekingswell
Grace's website: https://www.gracekingswell.com/
Grace's podcast State of Mind: https://www.gracekingswell.com/my-podcast
Grace's podcast Two's Company: https://open.spotify.com/show/77x1bItC7xvo0UHs9Glgtg
☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
00:00 – NHS pregnancy guidance is outdated + why Grace “bashes” Pregnacare
02:05 – Grace’s story: IVF, second pregnancy + what’s different this time
04:17 – “Breakfast doesn’t have to look like breakfast”: what to eat for fertility
06:06 – Eggs & veg, choline for fertility + Grace’s egg intolerance workaround
09:58 – First trimester survival mode + why prep before conception matters
12:09 – Pregnancy food fearmongering
13:14 – Caffeine debate: NHS guidance vs research + what Grace recommends
14:46 – Coffee & fertility: tolerance, cortisol, and exercise intensity considerations
18:33 – Fasting: why Grace is cautious (especially for women) + better timing if you do fast
21:09 – Trendy “intermittent fasting” patterns + should pregnant women avoid fasting?
23:26 – Ice baths & sauna in pregnancy: what’s safe, what’s not
25:03 – Lymph health: the “100 jumps” morning routine + why it matters
26:25 – Morning routine + circadian health: daylight exposure and avoiding blue light
27:22 – LEDs, circadian lighting, blue blockers + evening light hygiene
31:19 – Oil pulling & oral microbiome: why mouth health matters for fertility
33:42 – Morning brushing, tongue scraping + oil pulling best practices
35:33 – Fluoride vs hydroxyapatite toothpaste + mouth breathing and oral biofilm
37:50 – Fertility supplements: why quality matters + what Grace prioritises
39:25 – Sleep in pregnancy: progesterone effects, magnesium, glycine + realistic expectations
42:16 – Sleep trackers (Oura/Garmin), stress scores + what actually helps
44:10 – Sensate/vagus nerve stimulation + HRV improvements
46:54 – What HRV is + how to interpret it properly
48:32 – Closing Q1: habit to stop (and why Grace wants more weight training)
49:22 – Exercise in pregnancy: what to avoid starting mid-pregnancy + why strength matters
52:06 – Closing Q2 + Q3: veganism, daylight exposure + turning Wi-Fi off at night
52:54 – Where to find Grace + her podcasts & next steps
#icewater #coldwater #iceswimming
What really happens to your mind and body in just two minutes of cold water?
📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email
In this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with Fenwick Ridley, AKA the 'Ice Viking', to separate cold water facts from fiction. Fenwick shares what cold exposure actually does for stress, focus and resilience – why longer isn’t better, how to avoid common mistakes, and how anyone can safely build cold tolerance at home.This is cold therapy without the macho nonsense.
🎙️ About the guest:
Fenwick Ridley is the captain of Team GB Ice Swimming and an extreme cold exposure coach. Known as the “Ice Viking”, he competes in sub-zero waters and helps people use cold and heat to build resilience, recovery and mental strength — safely.
✍️ Fenwick's modern rituals:
• pool and open water swimming
• Ice bath & gym
• Sauna
• Burst training
• 30 sec - 2 min of cold water exposure
• Wearing shorts and T-shirts all year round
• Cold shower on shoulders first
• Conscious breathing
• Music & mantras
• Elite Hydrate
• Sugary drink
• Cocooning to warm up
• 10 min sauna at 100 degrees
• 3-4 reps of hot and cold
🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Fenwick Ridley:
Instagram: @fenwickridley
TikTok: @gbiceviking
YouTube: @fenwickridley
Saunas with Fenwick: https://www.northumbriansauna.co.uk/about-5
☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
00:00 Ice swimming in sub-zero temperatures (cold open)
02:32 Is there a temperature that’s too cold for the human body?
05:51 The mindset needed for cold water swimming
08:08 What competitive ice swimming actually involves
10:36 How ice swimmers train week to week
13:02 Chopping ice and training safely in frozen lakes
14:59 Listening to your body vs pushing through discomfort
17:16 Becoming friends with discomfort and pain
19:30 How sauna training improves cold tolerance
21:36 Why longer ice baths don’t mean more benefits
23:04 Brown fat explained and how to build it
26:01 Daily habits that increase cold tolerance
27:42 How beginners should start cold exposure
30:22 How long you actually need in cold water
32:22 Using cold exposure as a daily ritual
34:48 Breathing and mental preparation before cold exposure
36:40 Is cold exposure safe if you have Raynaud’s?
40:27 Understanding cold shock and afterdrop
44:17 The safest way to rewarm after cold water
48:03 Why jumping around after cold exposure can be dangerous
52:12 How to use sauna and cold for contrast therapy
55:01 Beginner guide to sauna and cold cycles
57:34 How often to do contrast therapy
1:00:43 Why hydration matters for cold and heat exposure
1:03:27 Swimming in the Arctic and extreme cold adventures
1:05:13 Habits to stop for better resilience
1:07:25 The daily habit everyone should build: discomfort
#icewater #coldwater #iceswimming
Could ditching the shoes & ditching your furniture be the best thing for your mind and body?
☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
In this episode, Alex sits down with natural lifestyle pioneer Tony Riddle to explore the daily habits that reconnect us with how our bodies are meant to move, breathe and live. From barefoot running to posture, breathwork, cold exposure and rewilding our routines, Tony breaks down what we’ve lost in modern life – and how this is impacting our minds and bodies.
🎙️ About the guest:
Tony Riddle is a natural lifestyle coach, ultra-endurance athlete and author of Be More Human. His work focuses on rewilding modern life through movement, breath, nature and grounded, human-first habits.
✍️ Tony's modern rituals:
* No sitting furniture
* Run barefoot
* Wildsole or Earth runners shoes
* Red light therapy
* Daily grounding
* Wake up at 5am
* No eating after 6pm
* Train in the morning
* Circadian light bulbs
* The Breathing app
🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Tony Riddle
Instagram: @thenaturallifestylist
TikTok: @naturallifestylist
YouTube: @thenaturallifestylist
Website: https://www.tonyriddle.com/home
Tony's next 10-month transformation program 'Redefining 50' starts in January 2026 so do check it out!
#naturalist #dailyroutine #grounding
What healthy habits should you be prioritising when the media is throwing EVERYTHING at us?
☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
In this episode, registered nutritionist and Live Well, Be Well podcast host Sarah Ann Macklin reveals just how different women’s bodies really are – and why most health advice still ignores that. She and Alex dig into why women shouldn’t be skipping breakfast, the role of protein in stabilising hormones, and how to tweak training across the month without becoming obsessive.
Sarah also shares how omega-3, B12 and creatine fit into a sane supplement routine, what neurodiversity (ADHD, dyslexia) has taught her about food and the brain, and why self-compassion might be the most powerful “health hack” of all.
This is a must-listen if you're trying to improve your own daily rituals, but don't know what to believe online or where to start. Sarah cuts through the noise and delivers hard-hitting, well researched facts.
🎙️ About the guest:
Sarah Ann Macklin is a registered nutritionist (AFN), host of the Live Well, Be Well podcast and former model with a first-class degree in human nutrition. She writes The Compassionate Cure Substack, exploring the intersection of food, psychology and modern wellbeing.
✍️ Sarah Ann's Modern Rituals:
• Zone 2 walking pace
• 1-2 runs a week
• Strength training
• Protein in the morning
• Eggs
• Greek yogurt, chia & flax seeds, berries, kiwi
• Protein smoothie
• Form Nutrition protein powder
• Omega 3 (from algae or fish oil)
• Oily fish 3 times a week
• Minami supplements
• B12
• Creatine
• Electrolytes every morning
🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Sarah Ann:
Instagram:@sarahannmacklin
TikTok: @livewellbewellpodcast
Sarah's substack: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
Sarah's podcast Live Well, Be Well: @livewellbewellsarah
00:00 – Quick-fire intro: phones, breakfast & male vs female nutrition
00:43 – Sarah’s morning routine & phone use limits
02:30 – Welcome Sarah Ann Macklin: nutritionist & Live Well Be Well host
03:17 – Why Sarah ditched “optimization culture” & discovered zone 2
05:12 – How Sarah structures zone 2 vs zone 4 training
07:31 – Strength training, muscle mass & women’s fear of “bulking”
09:59 – What a nutritionist actually eats for breakfast (and why protein wins)
13:51 – Intermittent fasting: why Sarah stopped (especially for women)
18:13 – Multi-day fasting: benefits, risks & who it might help
22:42 – Food psychology, disordered eating & why mindset changes metabolism
30:50 – Neurodiversity, ADHD/dyslexia & the power of omega-3s
36:23 – Supplements 101: omega-3, vitamin D, B12, creatine & electrolytes
42:21 – Travel, jet lag & Sarah’s recovery toolkit
47:11 – Male vs female nutrition, cycle tracking & training with your hormones
53:26 – Eating with your menstrual cycle: cravings, carbs & comfort food
56:17 – Habits Sarah is trying to stop (hello, bedtime phone…)
58:19 – Most overrated health advice & why discipline isn’t everything
1:00:14 – The #1 habit Sarah recommends: self-compassion
1:02:55 – Outro & where to find Sarah online
Are your morning habits helping you – or quietly draining your energy?
Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
In this episode, Alex sits down with doctor and nutrition expert Dr Rupy Aujla to cut through the wellness noise. From breakfast myths to caffeine timing, supplements, hydration and everyday routines, Rupy breaks his own weekly wellness routine into simple steps that you can follow too.
About the guest:
Dr Rupy Aujla is an NHS doctor, founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen, bestselling author and TV presenter. He’s known for turning evidence-based nutrition into everyday tools that help people eat, move and live better.
Rupy's Modern Rituals:
• Luke warm water
• 15g creatine
* 2.5g fish oil
• CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)
• Venison
• Tofu and tempeh
• Oats, flax seeds, Chia, nuts & seeds, raisins, raw cacao, raw honey
• 7-8 eggs a week
• Black coffee
• Raw cacao, collagen and raw honey
• Candescent light bulbs
Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Dr Rupy:
Instagram: @doctors_kitchen
TikTok: @doctors_kitchen
YouTube: @TheDoctorsKitchen
Try Rupy's free recipes app for inspiration for a quick high protein healthy meal: https://www.thedoctorskitchen.com/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=exhale-podcast-launch-dec2025&utm_source=exhale-comms
00:00 – Upgrade your staples, not your supplements
00:52 – Meet Dr Rupy (intro)
01:38 – Quickfire round: ice baths, alcohol, creatine and breakfast
02:56 – Realistic morning routine
07:42 – Zone 2 cardio explained
08:45 – Do you really need electrolytes?
09:06 – Omega-3 for heart health: how much do you need?
12:56 – Creatine benefits and how much to take
17:57 – Time-restricted eating for weight loss and gut rest
21:26 – Are morning people actually healthier?
24:36 – Red meat and cancer risk
26:32 – What a doctor actually eats in a week
27:36 – High protein breakfast ideas
30:13 – Grounding, morning light and no-phone time
33:23 – Strength training over 40 (home and gym)
36:30 – The Murph workout explained
39:23 – Coffee routine: timing, tolerance and decaf month
44:43 – Bedtime routine fixes for better sleep
48:52 – How lighting affects your sleep
50:03 – Overrated health hacks: ice baths and supplements
51:38 – The one daily habit everyone needs: more protein
53:00 – Whole food protein sources that actually work
54:08 – Closing thoughts and what to try
#nutrition #healthpodcast #morningroutine
Are your morning habits helping you – or quietly draining your energy?
Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/
In this episode, Alex sits down with doctor and nutrition expert Dr Rupy Aujla to cut through the wellness noise. From breakfast myths to caffeine timing, supplements, hydration and everyday routines, Rupy breaks his own weekly wellness routine into simple steps that you can follow too.
About the guest:
Dr Rupy Aujla is an NHS doctor, founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen, bestselling author and TV presenter. He’s known for turning evidence-based nutrition into everyday tools that help people eat, move and live better.
Rupy's Modern Rituals:
• Luke warm water
• 15g creatine
* 2.5g fish oil
• CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)
• Venison
• Tofu and tempeh
• Oats, flax seeds, Chia, nuts & seeds, raisins, raw cacao, raw honey
• 7-8 eggs a week
• Black coffee
• Raw cacao, collagen and raw honey
• Candescent light bulbs
Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/
Follow Dr Rupy:
Instagram: @doctors_kitchen
TikTok: @doctors_kitchen
YouTube: @TheDoctorsKitchen
Try Rupy's free recipes app for inspiration for a quick high protein healthy meal: https://www.thedoctorskitchen.com/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=exhale-podcast-launch-dec2025&utm_source=exhale-comms
00:00 – Upgrade your staples, not your supplements
00:52 – Meet Dr Rupy (intro)
01:38 – Quickfire round: ice baths, alcohol, creatine and breakfast
02:56 – Realistic morning routine
07:42 – Zone 2 cardio explained
08:45 – Do you really need electrolytes?
09:06 – Omega-3 for heart health: how much do you need?
12:56 – Creatine benefits and how much to take
17:57 – Time-restricted eating for weight loss and gut rest
21:26 – Are morning people actually healthier?
24:36 – Red meat and cancer risk
26:32 – What a doctor actually eats in a week
27:36 – High protein breakfast ideas
30:13 – Grounding, morning light and no-phone time
33:23 – Strength training over 40 (home and gym)
36:30 – The Murph workout explained
39:23 – Coffee routine: timing, tolerance and decaf month
44:43 – Bedtime routine fixes for better sleep
48:52 – How lighting affects your sleep
50:03 – Overrated health hacks: ice baths and supplements
51:38 – The one daily habit everyone needs: more protein
53:00 – Whole food protein sources that actually work
54:08 – Closing thoughts and what to try
#nutrition #healthpodcast #morningroutine